Downtown Minneapolis still runs on skyway lunches and steakhouse dinners, but the room list here is wider than that: a screen-lined sports bar, a brunch counter, a 1946 dining room, and the new life of Indigenous fine dining at the Guthrie. Worth leaving the skyway for, in nearly every case.
№ 01
Tom's Watch Bar
$$
609 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 · +16124306113
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A screen-lined sports bar built for pregaming near Target Center, with an outdoor patio that gets its own bank of televisions. Chicken nachos and wings anchor the menu, and the room fills fast on game nights, staying loud and crowded well past tipoff. Straightforward bar food, straightforward mission: watch the game, eat something salty, repeat.
What to orderchicken nachos, wings, burgers
№ 02
Hen House Eatery
$$
114 S 8th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402 · +16123454664
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The Hen House scramble and the tostadas draw the weekend line here, and both hold up against the crowd. This is a casual Minneapolis brunch counter that fills with families and out-of-towners alike, particularly during big weekend events downtown. Expect a wait on Saturdays, but rarely a long one, and a menu built around a genuinely good egg dish.
What to orderHen House, tostadas, eggs
Downtown Minneapolis $$
80 S 9th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55402 · +16123324700
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Deviled eggs and cheese curds open the menu, and the bison quesabirra tacos have become the dish regulars order twice. Breakfast built the reputation, but dinner service holds its own. The room's character has shifted somewhat from its earlier years, and reservations now matter more than they once did for walk-in traffic downtown.
What to orderdeviled eggs, cheese curds, bison quesabirra tacos
825 Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55402 · +16123399900
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Prime rib and a well-aged New York strip are the reasons repeat customers keep coming back across decades, some since the original location in the 1980s. This is occasion steakhouse dining in Minneapolis at full price and full formality, with service built for celebrations rather than quick lunches. Consistency, not novelty, is the sell.
What to orderPrime rib, New York strip, Filet mignon
818 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN, 55415 · +16124441846
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The decolonized larder built on wild rice, game, and locally sourced vegetables now operates under the Guthrie's roof as Indígena by Owamni, the successor to the Water Works room. Salads and shared entrees define the format, and the kitchen's reputation for turning Indigenous foodways of the Americas into fine dining draws visitors who plan trips around a single meal here.
What to ordersalad, locally sourced vegetables, game or wild proteins
26 S 6th St, Minneapolis, MN, 55402 · +16123390909
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The ribeye is the dish people describe as the best they have had, and Murray's has been serving it in Minneapolis since 1946, long enough to anchor family celebrations across generations of the same customers. Valet or street parking, a classic steakhouse room, and a menu that has not needed to chase trends to stay full.
What to orderribeye, filet mignon, New York strip
№ 07
Dakota
$$$
1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403 · +16123321010
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A downtown Minneapolis venue built around the stage rather than the kitchen, with valet and garage parking nearby and a line for both on busy nights. Repeat visitors treat it as the default choice for an evening out after a conference or a night downtown, less for a specific dish than for the room itself and who is playing.
What to orderUnable to determine - no specific dishes mentioned in excerpts
№ 08
Zelo
$$$
831 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402 · +16123337000
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The pesto crusted sea bass is the dish that keeps this Italian dining room in the special occasion rotation, alongside risotto and a pasta list built for date nights. Bar service draws praise even when the kitchen runs inconsistent, and portions run smaller than the prices suggest. A last minute reservation is sometimes possible when neighboring rooms are not.
What to orderpesto crusted sea bass, risotto, pasta
№ 09
The Local
923 Nicollet Mall, Ste 375, Minneapolis, MN 55402 · +16126660077
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The Apartment and the Indiana Jones room are the two escape rooms that come up most often among corporate teams and bachelorette parties working through downtown Minneapolis on a group outing. Game masters set the pace of each session, and the experience leans on tight puzzle design more than elaborate sets. Built for groups, not solo visits.
What to orderThe Apartment, Indiana Jones Room, Classic Escape Room
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant in downtown Minneapolis right now?
Based on Insider Score, Murray's and Manny's Steakhouse lead the steakhouse tier downtown, with Indígena by Owamni standing out for Indigenous cuisine at the Guthrie. No restaurant pays to be listed here; every ranking comes from the Insider Score alone.
Where can I find good steakhouses near me in downtown Minneapolis?
Murray's, open since 1946, and Manny's Steakhouse both sit in downtown Minneapolis and rank among the highest Insider Scores in this guide. Both take reservations, and both are built for special occasions rather than quick dinners.
Is there a good brunch spot in downtown Minneapolis?
Hen House Eatery is the strongest brunch pick downtown, known for the Hen House scramble and its tostadas. Expect a weekend wait. Its Insider Score reflects consistency across a large volume of visits, not a paid placement.
Where should I go before a game or concert downtown?
Tom's Watch Bar near Target Center is built for pregaming, with an outdoor patio and screens throughout. Dakota is the better choice for a night centered on live music rather than a game. Both are ranked here by Insider Score alone, with no pay-to-play placement.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Marit Solheim
Staff Writer · Top of Minneapolis
Marit Solheim is the Food Editor at Top of Minneapolis. Born and raised in the Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis, she spent six years on the line in downtown kitchens before she started writing. She covers the institutions and the chef tier in both downtowns and holds the desk to one standard: know which city you are standing in.
